Boston is next on the Grinch’s list

You’d have to be a Grinch if the musical version of Dr. Seuss’ classic story doesn’t inspire the Christmas spirit.

Jody Feinberg

You’d have to be a Grinch if the musical version of Dr. Seuss’ classic story doesn’t inspire the Christmas spirit.

“How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” runs Nov. 26 through Dec. 28 at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre in Boston, after drawing record-breaking audiences on Broadway in 2006 and 2007.

“The kids scream and yell, ‘Stop Grinch! Don’t do that!”' said Stefan Karl, the day after his first performance as the Grinch on opening night in Baltimore. “It was a great feeling to see their reaction.”

Written in 1957, the book became an animated film in 1966 and a film starring Jim Carrey in 2000. With 16 original songs and choreography, the musical was first staged in 1998 in San Diego, and adds vibrancy and immediacy to the 51-year-old tale. “Whoville” and its citizens come alive through the colorful and flamboyant sets and costumes.

“The show is very truthful to the book,” Karl said. “Being on stage is like stepping inside the book, but the stage adds its own magic.”

All but two of the 18 songs were written by Mel Marvin and Timothy Mason for the musical. The songs “Welcome, Christmas” and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” with which the audience is invited to sing along, are from the animated film.

Although Karl has never before had to wear a heavy, furry green costume, he has played plenty of eccentric characters. An Icelandic film and stage actor best known as the villain Robbie Rotten in Nickelodeon´s TV series “Lazy Town,” this is his American theatrical debut. In Iceland, his roles have included Cyrano in “Cyrano de Bergerac,” Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and the dentist in “Little Shop of Horrors,” among others.

Knowing the comic interpretation of Carrey, Karl puts his own stamp on the villain with the heart “two sizes too small.”

“My Grinch becomes a little more sentimental at the end,” said Karl, who lives in California with his wife and four children, ages six months to 13.

“I try to work with his heart, because that’s what it’s all about,” Karl said. “Children are so open-minded and have such big hearts; I wanted to dig a little deeper and work with that.”

Although the Grinch steals all the Christmas presents and decorations in Whoville, he can’t get his hands on the Whos’ Christmas spirit. And that is a message Karl thinks is especially important now.

“We spend billions on presents and lights, but you don’t need all that stuff,” Karl said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about what’s in your heart. I hope when parents and children see his heart grow bigger, they feel their hearts growing bigger too.”